


just a matter of time

by loonyBibliophile



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Fix It Fic, M/M, Post Ep Fic, Post-Episode: s3e05 The Great Escape, Sort of? - Freeform, bittersweet but hopeful, just a short lil thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-15
Updated: 2018-11-15
Packaged: 2019-08-23 23:01:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16628108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loonyBibliophile/pseuds/loonyBibliophile
Summary: Joaquin had never been afraid to be seen with him, even though they were from different walks of life, even though Kevin’s father was literally the sheriff, the person in charge of arresting people like Joaquin. So Kevin cuts school and goes to look for his former gang member former boyfriend and current fugitive with two known gang members in the woods.





	just a matter of time

Kevin had been nervous a lot in his sixteen years of being alive, but nothing quite compared to how nervous he felt now, hovering outside the Serpent camp in Fox Forest the day after breaking Archie out of juvie. He’d gotten information from Cheryl about which tent he needed, and now all he had to do was clear his throat, make some kind of announcement that he was–

“I know you’re out there, Keller. I heard you walk up. What do you want?” Sweet Pea called as he unzipped the tent and poked his head out from behind the sheet stapled to the front of the cheap fabric. 

“Can I talk to you?” Kevin asked quietly. 

“Depends.” Sweet Pea answered with a squint, rising to his full height and looking Kevin up and down with crossed arms. 

“It’s about Joaquin.”

Sweet Pea’s face softened nearly imperceptibly, and he nodded to gesture Kevin into the forest. On the way, they swung past another tent, and Sweet Pea slapped the door, yelling at the occupant to come with them. A few seconds later, Fangs stumbled out and followed them to a clear in Fox Forest. 

“Do you have any idea where he might be?” Kevin asks, with absolutely no preamble. His eyes are wide with nerves and hope, his hands tangled together behind him. 

“I might. We might. But why do you want to find him?” Sweet Pea spoke slowly, standing side by side with Fangs, both of them with their arms crossed, looking as intimidating as possible. 

“There are a lot of reasons!” Kevin whisper shouted, looking frazzled “I mean, I’m worried about him, he just broke out of juvie and he’s running around god knows where, playing this stupid game while people drop dead like flies left and right! Archie says he was involved in the fighting ring the Warden ran, so he could be injured. He could have information that could help us, too, and I just...” Kevin trailed off, looking up at Sweet Pea, desperation clear on his face. “I need to see him. I tried to go after him at the rec center, but I had to go back. I have to find him.” 

Sweet Pea looks over Kevin again, and then towards Fangs, clearly having some sort of silent debate with his friend. Kevin tried not to get his hopes up. They definitely knew something, but they had no real reason to help him. Sweet Pea sighed loudly. 

“I might have a theory about where he’s hiding. We’re checking it out tomorrow. Meet us here, at 9am.” Sweet Pea said, already turning to walk away. 

“Sweet Pea, we have school tom–”

“Nine am, Keller. On the dot. And I’m not doing this for you, or because you’re Jughead’s friend, or his girl’s friend. I’m doing this because I’m the one who got stuck listening to Joaquin complain about old man Jones interfering in his relationship with some uptight Northsider. I thought he was fucking stupid, rolling around with the sheriff’s son, but... he liked you, Keller. So. Nine am, sharp.” Sweet Pea repeated with a nod, before taking off into the distance with Fangs close behind. 

The thing is, Kevin knows it’s stupid. It’s all he’s thinking about as he sneaks away from campus and towards Fox Forest. He has a boyfriend, sort of. Well, not really. He has a boy who won’t kiss him in public, or hold his hand. But at least that boy isn’t an escaped criminal, that boy didn’t help cover up a murder, that boy didn’t use him for information. But Sweet Pea had said Joaquin liked him. Had said Jughead’s dad interfered in their relationship, not that he instigated it. And Joaquin had never been afraid to be seen with him, even though they were from different walks of life, even though Kevin’s father was literally the sheriff, the person in charge of arresting people like Joaquin. So Kevin cuts school and goes to look for his former gang member former boyfriend and current fugitive with two known gang members in the woods. 

They find him by some burned out cabin Sweet Pea says they all used to hang out at, and he looks like a fucking mess, and it makes Kevin’s heart hurt. Joaquin’s eyes are wide, and he’s clearly disoriented, so Kevin stands back while Sweet Pea, who’s known him longer, talks, but the whole time his body is itching with the impulse to reach out to him. At some point, Sweet Pea and Fangs wander a bit away, but Kevin is so consumed with his thoughts he doesn’t notice they’re alone until Joaquin speaks. 

“I hear you got a new boyfriend.” Joaquin says smoothly. Kevin stutters, fumbles, shrugs. 

“Uh, I guess? His name’s Moose.” Kevin says awkwardly. Joaquin raises an eyebrow, and Kevin feels his stomach drop. 

“Moose? His name is Moose?” Joaquin holds back a laugh. 

“It’s a nickname. His real name is Marmaduke.” Kevin whispers conspiratorially.

“Shit, man, that might be worse than Jones’ real name.” Joaquin said with a snort. There’s a pause, and Joaquin looks serious. “He treat you right, Preppy?” 

Kevin’s heart falters again at that stupid nickname. The memories it brings are visceral. Joaquin whispering it in his ear while he pushes him up against the side of an abandoned building, breathing it onto the skin of his neck while he sucks bruises into his skin in the back of a truck, with a laugh in his voice while they held hands at a party. 

“He’s not, we’re not, it’s, um.” Kevin shrugs “He’s not out. It’s… hard. It’s his call and I respect that, but I’m tired of hiding. I hid for fifteen years. That was long enough.” Joaquin reaches over and puts a hand over Kevin’s, squeezing it lightly. He pulls away before Kevin can even register what happened, and once he does, he wants to reach out, take Joaquin’s hand back into his own and lace their fingers together. 

“Hey,” Joaquin says, his voice unexpectedly soft. “Shit is crazy right now. I’m in hiding, you’ve got your buddies and Andrews to sort out. But you know, when it all shakes out, I’ll try and still be around.” 

 

Joaquin leaned over then, pressing a brief kiss to Kevin’s lips. But Kevin doesn’t let him pull away, pulling Joaquin’s face into his hands and deepening the embrace. In that moment, everything else fades away. He isn’t thinking about his dad and Sierra McCoy, or murderous tabletop games, or Moose Mason. Just Joaquin’s lips against his, and his hands on his hips, and Joaquin’s scalp beneath his hands as he tugs on his hair. 

“You know where to find me, Preppy.” Joaquin whispers against Kevin’s lips before he pulls himself away, giving him a lingering look before vanishing into the woods. 

 

Sweet Pea and Fangs don’t say anything to him on the walk back to camp, but as Kevin leaves, Sweet Pea reaches out and slaps his back with what Kevin’s almost sure is affection. He nods at the taller boy, and wanders off to find a place to hide and think.

**Author's Note:**

> listen... i love joavin. i just needed to get this out!


End file.
